GRADE 12 CHEMISTRY EXPERIMENT: ESTERIFICATION

SURNAME OF LEARNER: ____________________________

NAME OF LEARNER: ____________________________

DATE: ________________________

GRADE: _______________

TOTAL
50

PREPARATION OF ESTERS

INTRODUCTION

Many of the flavours and odours of fruits are esters. Ethyl ethanoate is the most common ester
found in wines and contributes to the perception of the fruitiness of wine.
Process:

Esterification, an organic reaction whereby an alcohol reacts with a carboxylic acid in the
presence of a catalyst form pleasant smelling substances.

• Characteristics: pleasant aroma/smell. Esters have a pleasant, characteristic smell and occur
freely in nature in fruits and flowers.

• Natural flowers (Dehiscence- opening of the flower, ripening of fruits)

• Industrial application e.g. manufacturing of perfumes, air-fresheners, colourants, flavourants,

soap etc.

PRECAUTIONS

• Wear safety goggles and protective clothing.

• No direct heating of alcohol

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 • Careful handling of concentrated sulphuric acid

• Add marble pieces or boiling stones to the reaction mixture to avoid spillage.

PREPARATION OF ESTERS
Aim: To prepare different esters and identify the esters by their characteristic smell.

• Apparatus needed: - Tripod stand, thermometer, elastic band & paper towel, Bunsen burner,
Beaker x 2(500ml), Test-tubes, wire gauze.

• Chemicals needed: Ethanol, ethanoic acid, methanol, pentan-1-ol, concentrated sulphuric acid,
water, diluted sodium carbonate & marble pieces/boiling stones (Any other organic acid or
alcohol available in the LAB).

You are provided with the experimental setup needed to prepare an ester in your school lab (refer
diagram below).

METHOD AND PROCEDURE TO BE FOLLOWED:

PART 1

1. Mix 10 ml of ethanoic acid and 10 ml of ethanol thoroughly in a test tube.

2. Slowly add to five drops of concentrated sulphuric acid while swirling the test tube.
3. Soak a paper towel in cold water and fasten it around the test tube close to its mouth with an
elastic band.
4. Place the test tube in a water bath and heat the water bath with a flame to a temperature of
about 60° C. (warning: do not overheat it)
5. Leave the test tube in the hot water bath for 5 minutes.
6. Add 10 drops of diluted sodium carbonate solution to the contents of the test tube.
7. Pour the contents of the test tube into a beaker containing cold water and identify the pleasant
smell.
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EVALUATION
Record your results and observations on the table given below:

Alcohol Carboxylic acid Name of ester Smell

(a)
(b)
(c)
(9)

Analysis and interpretation:

1.1 Why do we heat the test tube in a water bath and not directly over a flame? (2)

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1.2 What is the function of concentrated sulphuric acid in this experiment? (2)

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1.3 Explain why the learners left the test tube in the water bath for some time. (2)

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1.4 Why did the learners add sodium carbonate solution to the mixture in the test tube.
at the end of the experiment? Explain. (2)
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1.5 Why did the learners pour the contents of the test tube into chilly water at the
end of the experiment? (2)
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1.6 Use structural formulae to write down a balanced chemical equation for the three.

reaction taking place in the test tube. (6)

(a)

(b)

(c)

Total: 25

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SURNAME & NAME: ______________________________________________

GRADE: ______________

PART 2

Study the following organic compounds and answer the questions that follows.

2.1 Define the term homologous series (2)

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2.2 Write the name of the homologous series for compound:
2.2.1 B (1)
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2.2.2 E (1)
_________________
2.3 Define the term functional group. (2)
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 2.3.1 Write down the functional group name and structure for compound B and E. (4)

B E

2.4 Compound B and E can react to form an ester.

2.4.1 What is the name of the reaction? (1)
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2.4.2 Name or formula for the condition required for this reaction. (1)
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2.4.2 Write the balanced equation of the reaction using:
2.4.2.1IUPAC names of the compounds (4)

2.4.2.2Structural formula (4)

2.5 Is compound E a primary, secondary, or tertiary alcohol? Explain (2)

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2.6 Draw and name the functional isomer of compound B (3)

Total: 25
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